U.S. Pat. No. 3,797,683 describes an automatic apparatus for extracting molded articles such as pomades or lipsticks from their molds and inserting them into corresponding workpiece holders for further processing. In the patented apparatus, a turret having a series of cam activated transfer devices in the form of separate pairs of movable jaws, respectively, rotates in synchronism with the molds moving on a conveyer. After each pair of jaws is cammed to grasp an article in its mold, the transfer device is raised on the turret separating the tubular article from the mold. The raised transfer device then is rotated 180.degree. on its axis as the turret continues to spin about its rotational axis. Finally, the transfer device is lowered to position the article in its 180.degree. rotated position in a holder on a second conveyer for further processing.
While the patented apparatus has proven quite successful in actual practice, it still suffers from certain disadvantages. The required 180.degree. rotation of each transfer device during turret rotation necessitates a relatively large turret having many radially directed transfer devices. This, in turn, leads to a bulky apparatus requiring a large amount of floor space. In addition, the need to rotate each transfer device 180.degree. as the turret rotates requires a relatively complicated apparatus. This not only leads to high initial cost, but furthermore, greater than expected running costs due to more downtime for repair and adjustment than is otherwise desired.
Against the foregoing background, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus and method for automatically extracting molded articles from their molds and inserting them into corresponding workpiece holders for further processing. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus and method of the foregoing type that is relatively compact in size and reliable in operation.